#33 – Worldwide Partner Transformation with Toby Richards.

In this episode we peel back on the Worldwide Partner Transformation going on at Microsoft and the One Commercial Partner or OCP organization that is driving much of it with Toby Richards, the General Manager of Partner Programs at Microsoft.

Toby and his team are responsible for partner programs worldwide at Microsoft including the Microsoft Partner Network program, the CSP – Cloud Solution Provider partner experience, community engagement and the Microsoft Inspire partner conference. In our discussion we focus on how his team is supporting and leading this worldwide partner transformation, what programs are getting the most attention and what has changed.

Toby has spent over 25 years in the technology industry, holding several leadership roles within Microsoft including Customer & Partner Experience, and most recently, Partner Support within the company’s WW Services organization. In our discussion we also discuss his career journey.

In this episode you will learn:

What programs are getting the most of his attention during the worldwide partner transformation.

How he is thinking about the startup community and early stage partners with IP.

His experience in the Customer and Partner Experience Organization and how he has applied his perspective on the change and transformation with an emphasis on customer success.

The Modern Partner Series and its four attributes: 1. Differentiate to Stand Out, 2. Optimize your Operations, 3. Modernizing Sales and Marketing and 4. Focus on Customer Lifetime Value.

The greatest challenges he sees with partners transforming and making the shift to the new model.

Why it’s important to follow the incentives.

What he believes makes a great partner

The IDC Study on Partner Profitability.

His professional journey and why the voice of customer always wins.

You can listen to the podcast here. As with each of my interview and articles, I appreciate your feedback. You can reach me on Linked In or on email at vincem@cloudwavepartners.net. You can also review this podcast by going to iTunes and searching “Ultimate Guide to Partnering” and clicking on the album art and hitting the ratings link. This helps others find the podcast.